we keep hearing about the relationship between ronald reagan and tip o'neill and their willingness to compromise, even though they were about as far apart politically as you could get. >> bill, i agree with what you said and what rick said about that. i think it's wrong to say they're honest and they're the way they are because they're not in office anymore. i think what's more correct is they both come from an era where you fought, and you fought hard. but once the vote was taken, you know, they were kind of done. it wasn't really a scorched-earth policy. i grew up in a household where there were many politicians held in high esteem. they were guys like jacob javitz who were held in high esteem. >> reread "alexander hamilton." there's never been civility in politics. >> that comes and goes. that's a cyclical situation. we had a civil war. that was the most contentious period in the history of our country. >> that doesn't make it right. >> i'd like to bring up one additional point. two other things were brought up that we haven't really talked about. one was, and i don't know who said